Islamic Axe for I D and Comment

[Jim McDougall]

The point on Tanzania is well placed, as Tanganyika and Zanzibar were the coupled countries that formed it. In "Battle Axes" (James D. Gamble, 1981, p.67) there is an axe of remarkably similar form, with the head projected through the haft and the spiked type poll protruding upward at the rear. The blade has primarily the same profile and this axe is identified as Basuto, from Tanzania.
Again, Bantu axes show similar features and are hafted in the same way, and while they are considered Central African these influences carried south to Zulu regions as well.

The trade denominator is key with viewing this axe, and many aspects of the history of these East African regions, especially Zanzibar. The lingua francia Swahili, is as I understand an amalgam linguistically of Arabian and Bantu. The Omani Sultanate of Zanzibar naturally sent its influences with the trade caravans into the African interior, and certainly received influences quid pro quo as traders returned. With these merchants, appearance and status was of course as essential as it is in todays corporate world, and affluence was represented in not only the traditional weapons such as the kattara sword, but certainly in these axes which reflect those they came in contact with in the interior.
The Omanis certainly were familiar with hafted axes such as the jerz (actually a tiny head on a walking stick type haft) and others on shorter haft, but adopting styles known in thier African interior environment certainly would carry impetus.
It is good to note that the wire wrap around the haft is a well known affectation seen on of course Persian and Arab sword hilts, as well as, again, the decorative chain . The copper wire is described in Elgood {"Arms and Armour of Arabia") as indicative of wealth. The use of brass studs or rivets is also noted, and seen on a number or weapon hilts.

Add these rather compelling factors to the obvious use of a decorative Islamic disc, and though possibly connected to Algeria, such items from the Maghreb naturally travelled the routes toward Arabia with Pilgrims going to Mecca.

In my opinion, an Omani merchants axe worn as an accoutrement element of status and fashioned after the axes of similar form from either the Tanzanian interior regions as noted, as well as perhaps from the forms used by Bantu slavers. The diffusion of these axe types obviously had no geographic or particular tribal boundaries so clearly could have moved westward as well. The slave trade moved westward and into the Sahara into West Africa, as well as eastward toward the routes to Tanzania and Zanzibar.

the Phantom